Renee Welsch is a consultative sales professional who has a degree in business administration from Saint Leo University and a Master's degree in Management and Leadership from Webster University. She is a licensed real estate agent who currently is a member of The Ted Team at Keller Williams Chesterfield.

But she is also thinking about starting her own small business. Renee Welsch says she wants to have a business developing and writing résumés for college students and for military veterans who are transitioning back into the civilian workforce. As a veteran of the United States Navy, Renee Welsch knows that it isn't always an easy transition to make.

In any case, a small business of her own is a viable option for Renee Welsch. She has a degree in Business Administration from Saint Leo University and a Master's degree in Management and Leadership from Webster University.

She knows that starting a small business is often a matter of getting started: of getting some of the essential administrative details out of the way, and hanging out your shingle. For example, Renee Welsch thinks it is a poor use of time to think endlessly about the perfect company name. It's more important to get out there and start making money. Branding will come with time and experience; she thinks it's best to just pick a name and get started.

More important, she says, are getting the essentials like an Employer Identification Number, which is a federal tax number used to identify the business. You only need one, she says, if you are going to have employees, or are going to form a partnership, an LLC, or a corporation. Getting one is free and can be taken care of in a few minutes.

New businesses may need to register a trade name, Renee Welsch says, unless it is a business operating under a person's name. Trade names are usually approved on the spot. New businesses may have to get a business license. She says that county and city laws vary on this, but in any case it's just a matter of filling out a form. Applicants may need to estimate their annual gross income, but Renee Welsch says you shouldn't worry too much about it, because it's only an estimate.

Other details include completing a business personal-property tax form, and finding out about any necessary permits. Then, Renee Welsch says get a business bank account and a simple accounting spreadsheet. And then, the new business is ready to launch.